Rope clip



J. KNIGHT.

ROPE CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. I921.

Pate'ntgd Sept. 5, 1922..

ill/11 III nrroemt Patented Sept. 5, 1922.

. tartan- JOHN KNIGHT, or roman acon, New JERSEY.

ROPE CLIP.

Application filed March 30, 1921; Serial No. 456,920.

T 0 all whom it may concemt:

Be it known that I, JOHN KNIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bound Brook, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Rope Clip, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a rope clip intended especially for the binding of a cut end of a rope in such manner as or unravelling thereof, but, while particularly intended for this use alone, itmay be further employed to advantage for the purpose of securing a hook, eye or other form of attaching means to the end of a rope or cable.

It is well known by riggers and other persons familiar with the handling of rope and cable that when a rope or cable is cut, it immediately begins to fray or unravel and unless this unravelling is checked, it will in time continue throughout the length of the rope or cable. Accordingly, it is the practice to either tie a knot in the end of a rope or to bind the rope'strands together at the cut end by wrapping cord, wire or tape about the rope. While such expedients as wire or cord wrappings will temporarily answer the purpose, it requires only: a short time, particularly when the rope or cable is subjected to continued use, forthe wrapping to become displaced or loosened and releases the end of the rope so that the strands thereof again proceed to unwind or unravel. The providing of a knot in the end of a rope or cable is not ordinarily practical, particularly where the rope is to be used in con- 'unction with sheaves, pulleys or the like where the rope must be introduced over the sheave or pulley, and, accordingly, the universal practice at the present time is to bind the ends of ropes intended for such use with cord, wire or tape, renewing such binding from time to time as occasion may require and with each-renewal to cut off such portions as have become frayed or unravelled after having been released by broken or dislodged bindings.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, the object of the present invention is to provide a rope clip whichmay be readily and expeditiously associated with the end of a rope and after having been secured thereon will be firmly and permanently locked in position, so that renewal through loss or breakage will not be necessary. The

to preclude fraying 'vention. x

veniently formed from a length of standard the sleeve ter is introducedthereinto, 3 1$ found that presentinvention when properly associated with the rope or cable will remain associated with the cable throughout the life of the latter. e

Features of the invention, other than those specified will be apparent from the hereinafter detaileddescription and claims,

when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying. drawings illustrate different practical embodiments of the invention, but the sconstructions' therein shown are to be understood as illustrative only, and not as defining the limits of the invention. t

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rope or cable end provided with a binding clip embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a like view illustrating the 75 binding clip and the end of the rope in section. I

, Figure 3 is a section on the line, 3 -3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a viewof the clip detached from the end ofthe rope and the parts of the clip withdrawn fromone another.

Figure 5 is a section of a slightly modified I formof sleeve which may be incorporated in clip construction embodying the presentin- Figure 6 is a partial section and elevation of a rope clip embodying this invention with which is associated means whereby the rope isadapte d for attachment to some other rope end or part.

Figure 7 is a view ofthe construction shown in Figure 6 as viewed from the right hand side thereof ;.and,

, Figure 8 illustrates a further modified form of construction.

In the preferred form of the invention, as shown in Figures 1 1 inclusive, the same embodies a metallic sleeve 1, which may be contubing of interior diameter corresponding substantially to thediameter of the rope or cable 2 with which the clip is to be associated. In associatingthe clip witha rope of some relatively soft, material such as 'hemp,cottonor the-like, the sleeve 1 is preferably of such interior diameter that the rope i may be compressed slightly and forced through the sleeve although, in practice, this detail isnot importantfsince even though fit the ropeloosely when the latwhen the clip is finally positioned thereon, this looseness will be taken up.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the interior of the sleeve 1 may be smooth, or, if desired, the interior of such sleeve may be threaded or roughened as shown in Figure 5.

cit diametrically opposite points in the circumference of the sleeve are two circular apertures 3 and i, which apertures are in alinement with one another. The screw '5 provided with a threaded shank 6 and having a tapered head 7 is adapted to be passed through the aperture 3 and thread into a nut 8 which tapered to fit into the aperture hen the nut 5 and bolt 8 are screwed together as described, the parts will appear as shown in Figures '2 and 3, from which it will be seen that the tapered portions oi the bolt head 7 and the nut 8 project well into the interior of the sleeve 1 and practically come together while such tapered portions seat in the apertures 3 and 4 of the sleeve. 1

In associating a clip of the character described with the rope, the nut 8 and screw are first removed from the sleeve and there after the end of the ropeis introduced into the sleeve. This having been accomplished a hole is worked into the rope preferably through the aid of a marlin spike or some other implement which will part the strands of the rope without cutting them. The hole is preferably formed from both sides of the sleeve by introducing the implement through the apertures 3 and 4, so that the hole will taper toward the center or core of the rope. litter the hole is formed, the screw 5 and nut 9 are brought into cooperative relation and the screw is tightened. This will draw the head 7 of the screw and the nut 8 together during which operation, the tapered surfaces of these parts will wedge themselves into the rope and expand the rope against the interior of the sleeve 1, whereby the sleeve will be secured tightly in position on the end of the rope. hen the screw is fully tightened, the parts will appear as shown in Figures 1. 2 and 8, from which it will be noted that the tapered head 7 of the screw, as well the taperedside of the nut 8 will seat in the apertures 3 and 4, respectively.

hen the clip is positioned on a rope in the manner described, the holding of the clip against inadvertent displacement from the rope is not only accomplished by the expanding of the'rope within the. sleeve 1, but is also due to the fact that the screw and nut operate as a bolt passing directly through the rope to positively hold it in position. Thorough experimentation has proven that a clip thus secured to the end of a rope is permanently locked in position and cannot be pulled loose under any ordinary conditions or removed without first removing the bolt passing therethrough. This is true even when the interior of the sleeve is threaded, but if the interior of the sleeve is threaded or roughened, the friction between the parts ill be increased and the parts will be held more tightly in place than otherwise.

Another advantage of interiorly threading the sleeve is that when so formed, it may be worked over the end of a rope which fits the sleeve tightly easier than though the sleeve were smooth, since, when threaded, the sleeve may be screwed on. For ordinary conditions, however, I have found that the smooth sleeve is thoroughly satisfactory and etlicient.

In Figures 6 and 7 oi? the drawings, a construction is shown wherein the rope clip is so constructed so as not only to bind the strands of the rope together at its end, but also form a means of attaching a hook or eye to the end of the rope. In this form of the invention, the sleeve 1 is preferably made longer than the sleeve 1, and, it desired, may be attached to the rope by two bolts. The sleeve projects beyond the-end of the rope as clearly shown in Figure 6, and into this projectin portion or the sleeve aplug 9 is adapted to extend. This plug 9 maybe secured to the sleeve in any suitable manner such as by rivets 10 and ahook or eye 11 may be formed integral with the plug and thereby firmly attached to the sleeve. It will be understood that in lieu of the eye 11 illustrated, another form of attaching device may be mounted on the plug 9, such as an ordinary hook or snap hook.

In the constructions of Figures '6 and 7, the interior of the sleeve 1 is "shown as smooth, but in the event the sleeve is threaded interiorly after the manner of the sleeve in Figure 5. the plug '9, instead of being secured within the end of the sleeve by rivets 10 may be threaded and screwed into the sleeve after the manner shown in Figure 8. Moreover, in practice, the sleeve may be so constituted that the end which receives the plug is threaded while the por tion of the sleeve which receives the rope is smooth or vice versa without departing from the spirit of this invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1'. A rope clip embodying a rigid. circumferentially closed tubular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, and means projecting inwardly of the sleeve at (liii'erent points in the circumference thereof and into the rope for the purpose or expanding the rope into tight frictional engagement with the interior of the sleeve to hold the sleeve on the rope;

2. A rope clip embodying a rigid, circumferentially closed tubular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, and tapered expanding members projecting inwardly of the sleeve at difi'erent points in the circumference thereof and into the rope for the purpose of expanding the rope into tight frictional engagement with the interior of the sleeve to hold the sleeve on the rope.

3. A rope clip embodying a rigid, circumferentially closed tubular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, tapered expanding members projecting inwardly of the sleeve at different points in the circumference thereof and into the rope for the purpose oi? expanding the rope into tight frictional engagement with the interior of the sleeve to hold the sleeve on the rope, and unitary means for forcing said members radially into the rope.

4:. A rope clip embodying a tubular sleeve provided with a cylindrical exterior and having a fined interior diameter substantially equal to the diameter of a rope adapted to be received therein, and means extending diametrically through the sleeve at difierent points in its circumference and into the rope, said means being substantially flush with the exterior surface of the sleeve and so formed interiorly of said sleeve as to expand the rope into tight frictional engagement with the interior of the sleeve to hold the sleeve on the rope, leaving the exterior of the sleeve unencumbered.

5. A rope clip embodying a closed tu bular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, and a bolt passing diametrically through the sleeve and through the rope and formed with opposed tapering portions adapted to expand the rope within the sleeve for the purpose of precluding the sleeve from oulling 0E of the end of the rope.

6. 1i rope clip embodying a closed tubular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, and a bolt passing through the sleeve and through the rope and provided with a tapering head and a tapering nut, which, when the bolt is tightened are drawn into bodying a tapering the rope for the purpose of expanding the rope within the sleeve,

7. A rope clip embodying a tubular sleeve adapted to receive the end of a rope, said sleeve being provided at opposite sides with alined apertures through which a bolt may be passed, in combination with a bolt emhead and a correspondingly shaped nut, which bolt is adapted to be passed through the apertures of a sleeve and through the rope and tightened to draw the tapered. portions thereof into the rope, until such tapered portions sea-t within the apertures oi the sleeve,'whereby the bolt is firmly held in position and the rope is expanded within the sleeve for the purpose of securing the sleeve on the rope.

8. A rope clip embodying a closed tubular sleeve adapted to be passed over the end of a rope for a portion of its length, means projecting inwardly from the sleeve at ditl'erent points in the circumference thereof, and into the rope ior'the purpose of extending the rope into tight frictional engagement with the interior of the sleeve to hold the sleeve on the rope and an attaching element carried by one endo'l the sleeve.

9. A rope clip embodying a closed tubular sleeve adapted to be passed over the end of a rope for a portion of its length, means extending radially into the rope from diifi'erent points in the circumference of the sleeve, for expanding the rope within. the sleeve, to cause the rope to frictionally engage the interior of the sleeve for the purpose of holding the sleeve on the rope, an attachin element carried by one end of the sleeve, said sleeve being maintained on the rope independently of the attaching member. in testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

JOHN KNre -rr. 

